Town-Crier Newspaper March 6, 2015

Volume 36, Number 10March 6 - March 12, 2015Your Community Newspaper Serving Palms West Since 1980

TOWN-CRIERTHEWELLINGTON ROYAL PALM BEACH LOXAHATCHEE THE ACREAGE

INSIDE

DEPARTMENT INDEXNEWS ..............................3 - 14OPINION ................................. 4CRIME NEWS ......................... 6NEWS BRIEFS ........................ 8PEOPLE ................................ 15SCHOOLS ......................16 - 17COLUMNS ......................18, 27BUSINESS .................... 28 - 29SPORTS .........................35 - 37CALENDAR ...........................40CLASSIFIEDS ............... 42 - 45

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OPINION

Children from the Neil S. Hirsch Family Boys & Girls Club in Wellington played a 3-on-3 basketball game against Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue on Tuesday, Feb. 24, defeating the PBCFR team 54-52. The game was part of a joint effort between the Village of Wellington, PBCFR and the Boys & Girls Club to educate young people on fire safety. Shown here are deputies Jeff Denney and Anthony Musso, who served as coaches, with Sparky and the Boys & Girls Club team.

MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 22PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

BASKETBALL ATTHE B&G CLUB

By Ron BukleyTown-Crier Staff Report

Representatives from Charter Schools USA and Royal Palm Beach High School made presen-tations to the Royal Palm Beach Education Advisory Board in a workshop Monday as board mem-bers prepare to debate whether a charter high school should be built across the street from RPBHS.

Weve been directed to do a fact-finding study on the proposed sale of two parcels of land that the village owns directly east of First Baptist Church on Okeechobee Blvd. near the entrance to Royal Palm Beach, Education Advisory Board Chairman Lynn Balch said. Notably, this property is just across the street from Royal Palm Beach High School. Were going to use the information gathered tonight to formulate a recommen-dation for the sale of this land.

The board will meet again Monday, March 16 to determine a formal recommendation for the Royal Palm Beach Village Council when it meets on April 2.

Jim Pegg, director of charter schools for the Palm Beach Coun-ty School District, said the state established charter schools as part of the public education system, but they operate autonomously from the school district.

[That] means that charter schools have their own board of directors and have their own administration that does not come under the school board, Pegg said, adding that state and fed-eral funding is passed through the sponsoring school district accord-ing to enrollment.

The school district also reviews charter schools for charter re-newal. The initial charter approval is generally for four or five years.

Pegg said his department re-views each charter school annu-ally for compliance to state laws and the charter they are operating under. Each of the charter schools have different charters that have to be met, especially when it comes to academic or student perfor-mance goals, he said.

Charter schools do not charge tuition or fees, and charter schools

receiving F grades for two consecutive years must be closed, he said.

While Charter Schools USA runs six Renaissance Charter School locations in Palm Beach County, they all serve students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The company does not currently run any charter high schools in the county. The existing schools operate under the same governing board, which is not local, and sets its own educational programs with minimal local input.

Richard Paige, executive vice president of development for Charter Schools USA, spoke on behalf of Renaissance Charter Schools, the foundation that over-sees its locations.

The company operates four charter high schools in Florida, as well as several in other states. Charter Schools USA, established in 1997, is one of the oldest firms in the charter school industry.

Our focus has been increasing access to high-quality education by replicating high-performing charter schools, turning around failing public schools, as well as turning around low-performing charter schools, Paige said. We do a little bit of all of that. We dont just replicate high-performing schools. We do some turnaround work in our organization as well.

The Charter Schools USA net-work includes dozens of schools in seven states.

We have almost 60,000 stu-dents that we serve across the country, Paige said. About 60 percent of students qualify for free and reduced-price lunches, and 70 percent of students are nonwhite. In 2013, our graduation rate was about 94 percent.

Charter Schools USA was the first advanced education accred-ited education management com-pany in the country, he said. You have to have that accreditation for that diploma to count to go to college, Paige said. Many of the lower charter schools dont do it, and if they do, its one school at a time.

Paige said that all of the com-

RPB Ed Board Hears About Proposal ForCharter High School

See RPB ED BOARD, page 7

Lox Groves Candidates Square Off At LGLA ForumBy Ron Bukley

Town-Crier Staff ReportThe four candidates seeking

seats on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council on Tuesday, March 10 spoke at a forum conducted by the Loxahatchee Groves Land-owners Association last week.

Incumbent Councilman Ryan Liang is being challenged by Roadways, Equestrian Trails & Greenway Advisory Committee Chair Keith Harris for Seat 3, while incumbent Vice Mayor Ron Jarriel is being challenged by Fi-nance Advisory & Auditing Com-mittee Chair Virginia Standish for

Seat 1. They answered questions at the Thursday, Feb. 26 candidates forum.

Asked how they will support equestrians in town, Liang said the town is already working on developing equestrian trails using drainage easements on the west side of the canals on lettered roads.

We have a loop planned al-ready, and were looking toward more trails on those easements, he said. Right now were work-ing on the surveys, and once those are done, well be able to officially open those trails to the public.

Standish said she has been sup-

Town-Crier IssuesCouncil EndorsementsAfter meeting with the candi-dates seeking council seats in Royal Palm Beach and Loxa-hatchee Groves, the Town-Crier offers our opinions in advance of the Tuesday, March 10 elec-tion. Page 4

porting equestrians for 30 years.For 30 years, they have been

fighting to use the maintenance easements and have safe passage through town, she said. At any time, these easements could have been purchased from Southern Land & Timber, and [the Loxa-hatchee Groves Water Control District] said no. Presently, the local bill allows the easement to be taken over by the district. I believe a permit should be issued in advance of the district receiving any funding. I believe it should be on every easement. I do not believe we should be limiting this.

Young athletes from across Wellington swam, biked and ran in the fourth annual Wellington Kids Triathlon on Sunday, March 1. Starting at the Wellington Aquatics Complex, hundreds of young participants completed an age-appropriate running, swimming and biking course. Shown here are Abby, Jonathan, Sophia and Amelia Cole with Aidan and Avery Turner. MORE PHOTOS, PAGE 14

WELLINGTON KIDS TRIATHLON

PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

Harris said the easements, when done, will be not just for horses, but joggers and bicyclists as well.

Recreational trails means you can take a jogging hour and get your exercise, he said. You can ride your bicycle; you can ride your horses. No ATVs. Its going to be a great thing to have. Weve been waiting a long time.

In addition, he suggested that the soccer fields at Loxahatchee Groves Park be converted into an equestrian arena.

Without taking out a single tree, one could place a full-size regulation dressage arena and a

200-foot by 200-foot show arena, Harris said. Theres enough park-ing there for 25 or 30 rigs there. You have pavilions, and that would be a great venue and an opportu-nity for the town to make revenue by holding local shows for our citizens.

Jarriel said he plans to continue on the same track he has been for the past six years.

When new management came on board, the first thing I did, I went to them and we applied for a $200,000 grant [for the trail system], he said. That grant was

LOX GROVES TOWN COUNCIL, SEAT 1

By Julie UngerTown-Crier Staff Report

Vice Mayor Ron Jarriel is fin-ishing up his second term on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Coun-cil and hopes town voters choose to return him for a third term on Tuesday, March 10.

Finance Advisory & Audit Com-mittee Chair Virginia Standish is challenging Jarriel in the race for Seat 1, one of two seats up for grabs next week.

Jarriel has been a resident of Loxahatchee Groves since he was 10 years old.

Ive lived in the Groves for 54 years. I grew up out there when nothing was there. I spent 31 years with Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue, retired seven years. My life has been serving the public, he told the Town-Crier. Now I have an opportunity to serve my community. My heart is in Loxa-hatchee Groves.

Jarriel has watched the area,

along with the wants and needs of its residents, evolve over the decades.

Ive seen a lot of changes some havent always been for the best but now I have a chance to make those changes better for the residents, he said. Im retired, which makes it easy for me to put a lot of time in. I spend a lot of time riding through Loxahatchee talking to people.

Jarriels past work experience, paired with his flexible retiree schedule, has allowed him to look at the areas issues through a unique lens.

I base a lot of my decisions looking at it from a firefighters aspect. My two top priorities are health and a safe road, he said, explaining that it isnt healthy for students to be breathing in dust from dirt roads while waiting for the school bus.

The safety factor is also crucial, he said.

Ron Jarriel Aims To Make Life Better For Groves Residents

Ron JarrielI look at response from Fire-

Rescue and the PBSO coming to help our residents. Our streets, the dirt roads, are unsafe. When I was driving the largest truck in Palm

See JARRIEL, page 21


Virginia Standish, chair of the Loxahatchee Groves Finance Ad-visory & Auditing Committee, is challenging Loxahatchee Groves Vice Mayor Ron Jarriel for Seat 1 in the Tuesday, March 10 election.

Standish is a Palm Beach County native who has lived in Loxahatchee Groves since 1983. She is project administrator for a construction firm, and before that worked for an electrical contrac-tor doing accounting and book-keeping.

Im very aware of the need for financial accuracy and account-ability, she told the Town-Crier. I have lived in Loxahatchee Groves for more than 30 years. I have watched it grow from being a thriving agricultural community to a community that is now fighting commercial development. I am very concerned about the push of

development into our community. I see development orders being written that favor the developers and not the community.

As an example, she cited the recent development order for projects on both sides of B Road at Southern Blvd.

That order should have in-cluded a better road, she said, explaining that the paving on B Road north of the college entrance will be open-graded emulsified mix (OGEM) rather than asphalt as is planned to connect to South-ern Blvd. [OGEM] does not have a long lifespan. It cannot hold up to commercial traffic. Eventually those landowners will be assessed to put in another road.

Standish thinks that OGEM roads in other parts of town are be-ing forced on the property owners.

Even more importantly, there is no question as to do we need to get infrastructure in before we put

Virginia Standish Concerned About Finances And LGWCD

Virginia Standishdown a road, she said. Do you want water lines? Do you want sewer? There is poor planning for infrastructure. Im concerned its

See STANDISH, page 7

THREE REFERENDUMS ON LOX BALLOTSEE STORY, PAGE 3

TEAM USA WINS NATIONS CUP AT WEFSEE STORY, PAGE 19

See LGLA FORUM, page 21

Groves Council Moves Ahead With A SurveyOf Unauthorized RVsThe Loxahatchee Groves Town Council on Tuesday approved a survey of unauthorized RV and trailer parks in town and com-mended town management for its enforcement on some prop-erties already found to have been in violation, including one that was allegedly dumping raw sewage. Page 7

Wendy Soderman Shares Her Story At Chamber LuncheonWendy Soderman, founder and owner of Ideal Elemen-tary School and Dream Middle School, was the guest speaker at a Wednesday, Feb. 25 lun-cheon hosted by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce at the Wanderers Club. Im not a polished speaker. Im a woman with a story, she said. Page 3

Julie Kime AmongHonorees At PortraitOf A Woman LuncheonThe fourth annual Portrait of a Woman Luncheon benefit-ing the Quantum House was held Thursday, Feb. 26 at the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach. Five women, including longtime Wellington businesswoman Ju-lie Kime, were saluted for their contributions to the community.

Page 22

Rainforest ClinicHosts Parrot PartyDr. Susan Clubbs Rainforest Clinic for Birds & Exotics hosted its second annual Rainforest Parrot Party on Sunday, March 1 in Loxahatchee Groves.

Page 5

March 6 - March 12, 2015 www.gotowncrier.com The Town-Crier

OUR VIEWS:AGRICULTURAL RESERVE:

In 1980, Palm Beach County showed rare foresight in its decision to create the Agricultural Reserve to both protect agriculture and pre-serve the land from over-development. Since then, the county and developers have been chipping away at the restrictions to increase density and remove parcels from the area so they can be sold and developed. While the national image of Palm Beach County is of our wonderful beaches and expan-sive shopping, it is a superficial and inaccurate portrayal. The county has a long and important history in farming and agriculture. As recently as 2010-11, the county produced $1.42 billion in agricultural sales. In fact, Palm Beach County leads the state and all counties east of the Mississippi River in agricultural production. It is one of the 10

largest agricul-tural-producing counties in the country. Along with sugar cane, our area is a lead-ing producer of corn, peppers, rice and lettuce. But agriculture and land preser-vation are under increasing pres-sure f rom de-velopment. And county commis-sioners, rather

than continue to chip away at the 22,000-acre Agricultural Reserve, should stop yielding to this pressure long enough to at least conduct a study of the economic and environmental im-pact. To be sure, a local real estate market re-bound feeds a growing appetite to devour west-ern land formerly used for farming. But people who have grown up in Palm Beach County can remember a time when you could easily drive from the coastal areas to small farms to pick or buy fresh produce directly from farmers. That is uncommon today, and hard to even imagine for many new residents. The countys role in agriculture is increas-ingly at a crossroads. That was on display

at a public meeting last week, as some resi-dents voiced their opposition to allowing in-creased development in the reserve. At that same meeting, other residents comprising struggling nursery owners, farmers and other small landowners argued that reserve rules unfairly bar them from getting top dollar for their property by limiting what can be done with that property. But as weve said previously, providing top dollar for farmers property is not the job of county taxpayers. We agree that the burden of maintaining open areas and green space in our county should not fall on a single group. However, the agricultural character of the western regions of the county is not a new phenomenon. As such, the area has never been zoned or divided in a manner appropriate for dense development. If people purchased or inherited lands in the area under those restrictive rules, it seems at best disingenuous to claim that efforts to keep the area from over-development are an unjust surprise. Development is not just the landowners is-sue. New homes mean less green space for res-idents to enjoy and less area for water storage, discharge and drainage. More development means greater demands on our infrastructure including schools, roads, utilities, police and fire. The burden of supporting western devel-opment falls on all of our residents, not just the developers.Proposed for Ag Reserve: More development, doing it on smaller parcels At the public meeting, there were proposals to add new zones for commercial development. There was also a proposal to lower the thresh-old on developments so that smaller parcels can to be urbanized. If these proposals are ap-proved, the county will allow the reserve to be whittled to death. No one can stop all development. Nor should we wish to do so. But the reserve represents not just the history of Palm Beach County, it repre-sents our hopes for a future filled with more than just acre after acre of stoplights and strip malls. At their March 24 workshop on the Agricultural Reserve, county commissioners would be wise to remember that in 1999 taxpayers voted over-whelmingly to spend $100 million with that very thought in mind.

Reprint From The Palm Beach Post | Saturday, February 28, 2015

Stop Cutting into AG Reservelong enough to study impact

In 1999,county

taxpayers

voted to spend

$100 million to

buy and

preserve

large tracts of

land in the AG

Reserve

An excellent summary of the AG Reserve that should be of interest and concern by all residents of Palm Beach County!

Jess Santamaria

- Paid Advertisement -

The Town-Crier www.gotowncrier.com March 6 - March 12, 2015 Page 3

NEWS


Wendy Soderman, founder and owner of Ideal Elementary School and Dream Middle School, was the guest speaker at a Wednesday, Feb. 25 luncheon hosted by the Wellington Chamber of Com-merce at the Wanderers Club.

Im not a polished speaker. Im a woman with a story, she said. The reason Im here is that I made a promise to my son that I would share our story, hoping that it will give you, perhaps, some tools, some inspiration to use along

your journey. I believe that we are our stories Were supposed to inspire one another.

Soderman brought tissues to the event because at a previous speaking engagement, the raw feelings involved in her emotional story brought tears to the eyes of attendees.

I grew up on welfare, and I grew up in an environment that children truly should not grow up in. I saw two murders take place. I saw terrible things. I saw people who waited to win a lottery ticket, waited for the man to come to the

door and save them. I saw apathy. I had incredible teachers who gathered and changed my report cards. They broke the law, and they changed my grade to get me out of my home at 17, she recalled.

At 17, she left home, never to return.

I met Prince Charming, so there was no need to go back, she said. I got married at 21 because I knew a good thing when I saw it, and it was like a Cinderella story. I became a teacher, I married a Ph.D. engineer. I got a home. I had never lived in a house in my life.

When they decided to grow their family, Soderman discovered she was not only pregnant, but preg-nant with twin boys.

But her fairy-tale story took a turn when one of the twins stopped growing at 20 weeks old. She was in the hospital for more than two months. Son Korey stopped growing and was expected to die before birth, but his brother, Kyle, kept growing healthily. I wasnt Cinderella anymore, she said.

Her only escape from the doc-tors was listening to the music of Kenny Loggins while hiding in the bathroom. While some advised otherwise, Soderman decided to keep both babies.

Korey was born at just 1 pound, and Kyle was on a respirator for a month.

The diagnosis that Koreys cerebral palsy would harm him so much that he wouldnt recognize anyone, that the stress would ruin their marriage, turned out to be completely false.

Korey magically, its so Korey, turns out to be mentally above nor-

Wendy Soderman Shares Her Story At Chamber Luncheonmal, cognitively, little bugger, she said. And then we realized Korey had an identical twin he could see every day what he should be.

But it was not easy. At 8 years old, she recalled, Korey wanted to die.

A friend asked Soderman to write down her feelings, how upset, hurt and conflicted she was, and the result was a letter to Kenny Loggins. She did, after all, decide to keep both babies because of a pop song.

Loggins received her letter, which her friend sent, and when they were both at one of his concerts, they met him. Over the years, Loggins has remained a friend to the family and even met the children at Sodermans schools.

She shared her story, she ex-plained, to help people embrace their obstacles.

Everyone encounters two things, wonders and obstacles, Soderman explained, adding that no one is exempt. It doesnt mat-ter what you look like, how much

the line. I want you to live as a victor, not a victim. I want you to face your wonders and your obsta-cles from up here, Soderman said. Youre going to take ownership, be accountable and be responsible. At work and at home.

Soderman had a difficult time finding a preschool for Korey, which eventually led her to open-ing her own school, with the help of Jess Santamaria, so Korey could have a school to attend.

It kick-started me, because I wouldnt change the world, but boy did I go ballistic on that bay, she said of the space Santamaraia leased her, even though she didnt have help with the children, wasnt a business person and wasnt sure if shed be able to pay her rent.

I did get the fairy tale, guys, she said. The only way I can truly prove it to you, if you go to Ko-reys best man speech, it went vi-ral this is the happy ending. You define your journey. Live your life from above. Face adversity, look it in the eye, get mindful, watch

See CHAMBER, page 21


In addition to choosing be-tween four candidates seeking two seats on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council, voters in Loxahatchee Groves will also decide three referendum ques-tions during the Tuesday, March 10 town election.

The first asks if election provi-sions should be moved from the town charter to a town ordinance, in case of unforeseen circum-stances that require amending

them, without the need to go to a referendum. The election provisions relate to electors, non-partisan elections, election dates, runoff elections, the canvassing board, special elections and gen-eral elections.

The second question is a non-binding poll intended to provide feedback to the council on de-termining whether or not to pave roadways within the town. The towns roads are mainly dirt roads, but recently, several roads have been paved. Members of the coun-

cil may rely on the opinion poll in reviewing future paving policy.

The third question is another non-binding opinion poll intended to provide feedback to the coun-cil asking whether or not voters would be willing to pay for road paving projects. No taxes, assess-ments or fees will be levied as a result of the referendum, however council members might rely on the opinion poll in reviewing future policies for funding the paving projects of public roads within the town.

Three Referendum Questions On Loxahatchee Groves Ballot

Mayor Bob Margolis has proclaimed March 8-14 as Wellington Garden Week. The annual celebra-tion will be marked in several ways. The week will begin with a Horticultural Day & Plant Sale on Sunday, March 8 at the Wellington Amphitheater from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also, businesses, schools and organizations that have supported the Wellington Garden Club will receive floral arrangements as a thank you for their support. Finally, in conjunction with the week, youth groups at local schools will hold gardening and environmental events. (L-R) Vice Mayor John Greene, Councilwoman Anne Gerwig, Mayor Bob Margolis, Kathy Siena, Barbara Hadsell, John Siena, Councilman Matt Willhite, Tom Wenham and Councilman John McGovern.

WELLINGTON GARDEN WEEK CELEBRATION MARCH 8-14

Wendy Soderman speaks at last weeks chamber luncheon.PHOTO BY JULIE UNGER/TOWN-CRIER

money you make or what your title is, wonders and obstacles are universal. How those wonders and obstacles are handled is what matters, she said.

If you stand above a mountain, you see possibility, she said. Stand-ing below the mountain, looking straight ahead, you see rock. So I want to look above, Soderman said.

Helping Korey along his jour-ney, Soderman has chosen to look above. She started a school, shes married to her best friend, her son Kyle is an amazing man, and neighbors thank them for moving in because they are inspired by Korey.

Of course, there are things she can look at that are negative, the looks, the stares, the knowledge that Korey might never get mar-ried or have children, but that also means that she will never be an empty nester. Depending on the perspective, its all how you choose to view your journey. Above or below, she said.

Her focus is on keeping above

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TOWN-CRIERTHEOUR OPINION

Re-Elect Dave Swift In RPB; Keep Jarriel & Liang In Lox Groves

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LETTERS TO THE EDITORSupport ForDave Swift

The following is in response to the letter Support for Darrell Lange by Arlene Olinsky pub-lished last week.

Oh, the evil webs we weave. How is it that less than a year ago, she told us it was important to keep a person with experience on the council, but all of the sudden, it appears that new is in? Ms. Olinsky changes her mind like normal people change their socks, or maybe she is taking direction from someone else as a political letter writer without a true opinion of her own?

Well, Im happy to say, that Im my own person and Im not on anyones payroll, and neither is our Vice Mayor Dave Swift. He cant be bought with large newspaper advertisements, promised endorse-ments or money from our local anti-development developer. Vice Mayor Swift is open, honest and an extremely approachable candidate who has earned your vote based on what he has done for Royal Palm Beach.

He listened to La Mancha resi-dents when they wanted the Ma-drid opening closed. At the recent candidates forum, he stated that if residents opinions changed on the issue, hed be willing to listen. He was part of the former waste-water treatment plant decision, and from the start, unlike another candidate, Mr. Swift did what the voters wanted, he voted against commercializing the property. He assisted the residents of Saratoga in selling a piece of their property as part of the $35 million deal with Lennar so that their homeowners association could receive about $700,000 to use as they see fit. Mr. Swift is an active member of the Western Communities Council, which is fighting to extend State Road 7 to Northlake Blvd. He serves as liaison to our Planning & Zoning Commission, and as a member of the villages Young at Heart Club, he has identified building a senior living complex as one of his top priorities.

In short, Vice Mayor Swift is one of the most experienced and active members on the council. Hes not looking to further his po-litical career, he is looking to serve the residents of Royal Palm Beach now and for another two years.

I hope, voters, that you will take five minutes and either mail in your absentee ballot, or go to the polls on March 10 and cast your vote for Vice Mayor Dave Swift. He deserves another two years to serve the village.

Felicia MatulaRoyal Palm Beach

Editors note: Ms. Matula is a member of the Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Commission and a previous candidate for mayor.

Questionable RPB Candidates

In its last edition, the Town-Cri-er introduced the three candidates running for Seat 2 of the Royal Palm Beach Village Council. We have the choice between two vet-erans of this council and one new-comer. Dave Swift has served as a councilman for about 20 years, and Martha Webster for 5 years. Both of them would not be eligible for a new term if we had a strong term limit in place. However, both could play the Putin game by saying they skipped a term or two. Thats how

Putin regained his presidency after the Medvedev interregnum.

Both of them are a good exam-ple why we should have the term limit in place. Martha was the reason five years ago that hundreds of protesters showed up at village hall demanding an end to com-mercializing the site of the former wastewater treatment plant. Now she claimed at a board meeting of the Saratoga Pines HOA, where I, as president, let her address our members, that she was always against commercializing the site. I was one who wrote letters to the Town-Crier back then about the case, and I remember better. So do our members. Darrell Lange also showed up, and we let him speak as well. Dave Swift did not attend, but he was busy distributing fliers to all our members into our U.S. mail boxes. So we knew already what he had to say, and that was not pretty.

In his text, Dave insinuates that our homeowners will get approximately $1,000 for the sale of Tract C, a piece of land owned by our master association adjacent to the Crestwood development site, formerly the wastewater treatment area. People who read Daves flier asked me immediate-ly afterward when they will get the money. Well, Dave was not writing what will really happen. The POA will get the money and, according to our lawyer, it cannot be distributed among the owners. We know where he got this wrong idea from. He is good friends with our former authoritarian president, who we had to remove from office through a recall process. Eighty-two percent voted against Daves confidant, a current member of the Royal Palm Beach Planning & Zoning Committee. This man tried to campaign against our sale of Tract C with this false argument.

Dave claimed he came up with a plan that satisfied the majority of our Saratoga community. I happened to be one of the main negotiators for our HOA and POA with the village. The plan was worked out by the village manager, not by Dave. Dave never showed up at these negotiations, and he never talked to us. He also claimed he listened to us with regard to the density in the future development. He did not. The original plan was for 400 homes. After our inter-vention, it was reduced to 380, still far more than we would have liked, but Dave and Councilman Richard Valuntas argued for even a higher density. Now it stands at 385. Its true, the village will get more money for that, and so will we, but for us, money plays only a secondary role.

So, although Martha changed her mind about Crestwood, we dont know if she will stick to it now. Dave is telling us in a very paternalistic tone what he did for us, without mentioning that it is a win-win situation for both partners. I would recommend rather going with the newcomer, Darrell Lange.

Guenter LangerRoyal Palm Beach

Support For Martha Webster

In the upcoming election, Mar-tha Webster is my obvious choice. Having supported David Swift in the two previous elections, I could no longer support David.

I was impressed with how graceful Martha was in her two defeats, and coupled with her

The Town-Crier welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep letters brief (300 words suggested). Submit letters, with contact name, address and telephone number (anonymous letters will not be published), to The Town-Crier, 12794 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 31, Wellington, FL 33414; fax them to (561) 793-6090; or you can e-mail [email protected].

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strong support for the Office of the Inspector General and opposition to Minto West, it makes her the ideal candidate most deserving of winning on March 10.

The Palm Beach Post said its not the thriller in Manila, but compared the third meeting of David Swift and Martha Webster to Ali and Frazier.

David was not impressive at the recent forum and was very evasive in my books. Had he respected the wishes of the overwhelming majority of the western commu-nities and rejected Minto West and voiced strong support for the Office of the Inspector General, then I, like so many others, would have supported him.

Martha has reconciled with the mayor and also ex-County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, who have now endorsed her. She has a good idea of the direction the Village of Royal Palm Beach should take and a burning desire to serve. Surely informed voters will give their support to Martha.

Lets make March the month we return Martha to office. She is the best candidate in the race, and I look forward to congratulating her when she is victorious on March 10.

To all eligible voters, I say, please make your voice heard and vote for Martha Webster on March 10.

Karl WitterThe Acreage

Ron Jarriel An Honorable ManI do not live in Loxahatchee

Groves, but here is my two cents anyway. I worked with Ron Jarriel at Palm Beach County Fire-Res-cue Station 33 for many years. The crew was family, and we all had each others backs, but Ron was special, always on top of things. Whether it be a fire or medical emergency or when we might be in danger, it was good to know that Ron was on the engine.

Ron is a good and honest per-son. I cannot say enough about his integrity and dedication to whatev-er the cause is. Hes the guy who would give the proverbial shirt off his back to a complete stranger. I know, Ive witnessed it.

I am not up on the issues in the Groves, but I know he is. He always tries to do the right thing, for his family, on the job and for his community. He cares and he listens.

I would love to have Ron on a seat in Wellington. Ron is straight-forward, can be trusted and he lives by his word. If Ron ever reads this, I know he will be embarrassed. Too bad.

Larry AversanoWellington

Jarriel And Liang Best For Town

I support Ryan Liang and Ron Jarriel for re-election on March 10.

Both men care about how things are done in Loxahatchee Groves as we have numerous problems with how things were recorded when Loxahatchee Groves was platted.

We cannot just haphazardly implement trail systems on a whim, and with no legal footprint in which to apply to the trails, as the challengers have championed to anyone who will listen.

There has been specific talk about subsidizing the district with gas tax monies, specifically

$150,000 that Ron Jarriel and the supervisors at the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District re-quested from then-Commissioner Tony Masilotti over 10 years ago to keep us from having to raise assessments.

Tony stepped up, and presented the Groves with that $150,000 check until he left office, and the town had been born at that point. The town has filled that void to keep the per-acre assessment un-changed, to their credit.

The challengers will have you believe there will be no impact if that funding is removed. Dont fall for it. Vote March 10 for Liang and Jarriel!

Robert SnowballLoxahatchee Groves

Editors note: Mr. Snowball is a member of the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District Board of Supervisors.

Re-Elect LiangAnd Jarriel

The constructive majority on the Loxahatchee Groves Town Coun-cil has worked to organize our new town using a contract management company with resident committee oversight and input. Significant benefits have been obtained for residents. Examples are the new Palm Beach State College campus, establishing recreational/equestri-an trails on up to 30 miles of canal maintenance roads, resurfacing three roads (Marcella, Compton and Bryan), having regular grad-ing of other town roads, obtaining a new town office and meeting facility, obtaining commitments to improve the surface of South B Road and replacing the bridge over Collecting Canal, and in-stalling a traffic-calming light on Okeechobee Blvd. accomplish-ing all this while maintaining a responsible bank balance, incur-ring no town debt, and having the lowest property tax millage in Palm Beach County.

The council respects our ru-ral town vision and legacy land usages. It has acted to improve PBSO services and to maintain water quality by prohibiting out-side source manure dumping. Both council candidates seeking re-election Ryan Liang and Ron Jarriel have consistently voted as part of the constructive major-ity to obtain these benefits for all residents. Their opponents, Keith Harris and Virginia Standish, have in many ways been negative and divisive in their public comments at town council meetings and in letters to the Town-Crier.

The challengers have attempted to divide the town into equestrians and others, trying to persuade vot-ers by stating that their opponents do not support equestrians or trails. Ron Jarriel and Ryan Liang support all of the residents of Loxahatchee Groves, not just the equestrians. Ron Jarriel and Ryan Liang have both been working diligently on the trail system while on the council. They have a clear understanding of all of the issues that must be addressed in order to have our trail system put into place. They have this knowledge because of the time they have spent on the council. Their opponents, unfortunately, have some misin-formation on this issue.

Our town is at a point where we would be doing ourselves a dis-service by electing unqualified or misinformed council members to take the place of council members who have given their heart and

soul to our town and have exten-sive knowledge of the dynamics of how all decisions must be made.

Voters would be best served by re-electing Ryan Liang and Ron Jarriel.

Stephanie RhoederLoxahatchee Groves

Not A Fan Of Darrell Lange

I was very troubled to hear that Darrell Lange is running for the Royal Palm Beach Village Council. I had the unfortunate experience of appearing before Mr. Lange while he sat on the Planning & Zoning Commission.

I was treated with insolence and total disrespect by him and Com-missioner Jackie Larson. I came before them as a representative of my homeowners association with a request to remove trees whose roots had caused severe damage to some of our driveways and walkways. The trees, varieties that grow to a height of more than 30 feet and are now banned from being planted in the village, were planted on strips of land 2 to 4 feet wide. Planted with village permis-sion many years ago, I might add.

I explained to the committee that the driveways and walkways were cracked and lifted to the point of being serious trip hazards for our residents and their guests. Mr. Lange asked me if anyone fell and had we been sued. Is it necessary for someone to be hurt before Mr. Lange believes a problem should be resolved?

I was accused by Mr. Lange and Ms. Larson of hating trees and nature. Because of their personal opinions the HOA was forced to hire a certified arborist at great unnecessary expense. They did not like that the arborist didnt agree with them and continued to do everything they could to prevent the HOA from moving forward.

The Planning & Zoning Com-mission required the HOA to provide them with nine presenta-tion packets, including drawings, pictures and tree varieties a week before the meeting. During the meeting, I was asked if we had pictures, making it obvious that they hadnt even looked at our presentation packet.

Mr. Lange and other committee members didnt take the time to see if what we presented met vil-lage codes and rules. Mr. Lange pressed his personal opinion ver-sus what the village standards, codes and/or rules called for, causing our HOA a substantial amount of money.

Mr. Langes job should have been to follow the rules and codes of the village, which he showed a total lack of knowledge about, and to improve the community not to work on a personal agenda or press his personal opinions.

Mr. Lange claims to want more public engagement, yet he doesnt listen to public opinion unless it mirrors his own.

Councilman Dave Swift, who clearly understood the issue at hand, apologized for the commit-tees disrespect and illegal behav-ior and told me he would bring it to the councils attention, which he

did. I find Councilman Swift to be a man of integrity who always has the best interest of this community at heart, listens to the people who live here and treats the residents of Royal Palm Beach with respect.

I encourage the readers to vote for Dave Swift and re-elect an hon-est, honorable man with a proven track record.

Valerie GeroldRoyal Palm Beach

Support A Senior Facility In RPBOutside of David Swift, candi-

date for Royal Palm Beach Village Council, no one on the council, in-cluding the mayor, is interested in establishing or building a facility for seniors in Royal Palm Beach. Such a facility could address the growing need in Royal Palm Beach for short-term rehabilitative service, assisted living and long-term care.

In a previous article, I wrote about the need for building such a facility now, rather than waiting 10 years when the costs would be greater and the need more critical. I received comments from people who were supportive of such a facility, but unsure how such a facility could be financed. Of course, there are those who offer no constructive support but rather change the gist of the discussion, based on dated knowledge, of the inability of seniors to receive both Medicare and Medicaid. This has changed over time and is affected by exceptions found in means testing allowances. The last does not further the discussion on how best to accomplish our goal but to serve a purpose with no merit.

There is no one size fits all and how such a facility could be supported will vary within the con-fines of a business plan, but this we do know, that there are subsidies and reverse mortgage packages that could support the care of many seniors in Royal Palm Beach living in very large houses no longer useful or necessary, which are expensive to maintain. We can all appreciate that our children often are separated from us, living in other states, raising another gen-eration and cannot assist with the care or even financially help their parents.

Seniors, many of whom have provided much of the socioeco-nomic structures that the leaders of our community have come to enjoy, they enjoy seemingly obliv-ious to such origin. Seniors should not be forced to leave our com-munity to seek communities with more forward-thinking leaders. Seniors keep our restaurants open and many businesses in business.

In conclusion, let me say to those that see Royal Palm Beach as just an opportunity to make money, that many of us are re-sponsible for your lifestyle, and what most seniors desire is that in facing their advancing years, that their leaders recognize their contributions, allow them a way to remain with their many friends in our community and live in dignity.

Richard Nielsen Royal Palm Beach

After meeting with the candidates seeking council seats in Royal Palm Beach and Loxahatchee Groves, the Town-Crier offers our opinions in advance of the Tuesday, March 10 municipal election.

Royal Palm Beach Village Council, Seat 2 This election features three candidates: incumbent Vice Mayor Dave Swift, former Council-woman Martha Webster and former Planning & Zoning Commissioner Darrell Lange. All three are qualified candidates who would probably do a fine job on the council.

We were quite impressed by Mr. Lange. For a first-time candidate, he comes across polished and knowledgeable on the issues. He has done years of service in the community both in recreation leagues and on the zoning board, and would bring a unique work background to the position. If this was a race for an open seat, he would be a strong contender for our endorsement.

Ms. Websters desire to serve her community is admirable. She has always been a hard worker and someone who is committed to the task at hand. While on the council, she often brought an alternative point of view and did a fine job representing the village at the regional level. However, she was also a frequent lightning rod, more than once ad-vocating positions that residents deeply disagreed with. We are glad to see that this time around, she had toned down her rhetoric and mended fences. If she is returned to the dais, she will be a more effective council member for it.

This, of course, leaves the incumbent, Mr. Swift, who unseated

Ms. Webster two years ago to regain a council seat after an 18-month hiatus. Yes, over the past two years, Mr. Swift has ruffled a few feath-ers. However, our opinion of him has not changed much during that time. He remains a long-time public servant with a firm command of the issues and a strong desire to help the community. He continues to advocate for residents and is often the first to suggest compromises to bring disparate groups together. He is also the institutional memory of the council, routinely bringing up what has happened previously when similar issues have come up.

The Royal Palm Beach Village Council runs one of the most cost-ef-fective, well-organized governments in the county. As we have said before, it is not unity of politics that makes that happen, it is unity of purpose, and Mr. Swift is the better choice to keep Royal Palm Beach running smoothly. The Town-Crier endorses the re-election of Dave Swift to Seat 2 on the Royal Palm Beach Village Council.

Loxahatchee Groves Town Council, Seats 1 & 3 Normally, we evaluate each municipal council seat separately, but in this case, it seems a better idea to look at both seats together. In the race for Seat 1, Vice Mayor Ron Jarriel faces a challenge from Virginia Standish, who chairs the towns Finance Advisory & Auditing Committee. In the race for Seat 3, Councilman Ryan Liang faces a challenge from Keith Harris, who chairs the towns Roadways, Equestrian Trails & Greenway Advisory Committee.

The challengers in this election, Standish and Harris, have their own

styles, but come from a similar point of view. Both are wary of the cur-rent close relationship between the town and the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District. They do not feel that the current council listens to residents offering a dissenting point of view, are critical of the town/district penchant for using OGEM paving and feel the town/district have been dragging their collective feet on implementing horse trails. Electing them to the council will likely produce a new council majority at odds with the LGWCD and many key decisions made over the past six years.

Like the challengers, Jarriel and Liang have their own styles, but come from a similar point of view. They will keep the town moving in the same direction, partnering with the LGWCD on roads and horse trails, favoring less-expensive OGEM paving and trying to keep the peace in a small town with many competing interests.

The challengers raise some good points. The current council majority could do a better job listening and compromising with residents who disagree with them. They must also be very careful in financial arrange-ments with the LGWCD and always bid projects out whenever possible. However, by and large, the town is moving in the right direction, albeit slowly. Electing Standish and Harris will likely open up a war between the LGWCD and the new council majority. The town has been through that before, and it was not good for the residents. Throwing away the progress of the past six years is a bad idea. The Town-Crier endorses the re-election of Ron Jarriel and Ryan Liang to the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council.


NEWSSUSAN CLUBB OF RAINFOREST CLINIC IN LOX GROVES HOSTS PARROT PARTY

Joyce Vicente with a chick from Fancy Fowl Hobby Farm. Kimberly Craig and Junior with Dr. Susan Clubb.

WELLINGTON LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL SEASON CELEBRATES OPENING DAYWellington Little Leagues opening day ceremonies were held on Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Olympia Park Baseball Complex. The special guest was Wellington High School graduate and Major League Baseball pitcher Sean Burnett, who was joined by Wellington Mayor Bob Margolis and Councilman John McGovern. The day marked the start of baseball season, which runs from March through May.

Patty Ralph checks out one of the birds.Mark McCarthy shows off Cosmo, a lemur.

Lauren Galin sings the national anthem next to Richard Fasano. Jake Wills with Sean Burnett.

Daniela Vargas with Sammie.

Dr. Susan Clubbs Rainforest Clinic for Birds & Exotics hosted its second annual Rainforest Parrot Party on Sunday, March 1 in Loxa-hatchee Groves. Avian and animal experts joined vendors and animal rescue groups to inform, educate and entertain. For more information, visit www.susanclubb.com.

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Wellington Mayor Bob Margolis, J.C. de los Reyes, Auto Nations Fred Moran, Sean Burnett and Councilman John McGovern.

Antonio de los Reyesand Sean Burnett.

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CRIME NEWS


FEB. 24 A deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Offices Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was called to a home on Avocado Blvd. in The Acreage last Tuesday afternoon regarding a residential burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime be-tween 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., someone entered the victims home and re-moved costume jewelry, valued at $500, a yellow gold wedding ring with diamonds, valued at $3,000, and two watches, valued at $300. According to the report, deputies found evidence of forced entry to the home, and video surveillance showed a slender white male with dark hair and sideburns breaking into the residence and removing various items.

FEB. 25 A deputy from the PBSOs Royal Palm Beach substa-tion was contacted last Wednesday by a Royal Palm Beach resident regarding a theft. When the victim exited a Palm Tran bus at Partridge Lane and Okeechobee Blvd. last Tuesday afternoon, she was told that she had left her purse behind. According to a PBSO report, she retrieved her purse and went home, only to discover the following day that her wallet and its contents, including an identification card and a two-year Palm Tran bus pass, were missing.

FEB. 25 A deputy from the PBSOs Royal Palm Beach substation was called to a home on Essex Court last Wednes-day morning regarding a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, sometime between 6:30 p.m. last Tuesday and 6:30 a.m. last Wednesday, someone entered the victims unlocked 2011 Ford Edge and removed a purse and a students backpack. The items were retrieved just 114 feet away from the vehicle. DNA evidence was gathered from the vehicle.

FEB. 25 A deputy from the PBSOs Royal Palm Beach substation was called to a home on Bedford Court last Wednesday morning regarding a vehicle bur-glary. According to a PBSO report, someone entered the victims unlocked 2002 Mitsubishi Galant sometime between 9:30 p.m. last Tuesday and 7 a.m. the next morn-ing, when the victim discovered that the interior of the car had been ransacked. According to the report, nothing was taken from the vehicle. Fingerprint evidence was gathered at the scene.

FEB. 25 A deputy from the PBSOs Royal Palm Beach substation was called to the Mar-shalls store on Southern Blvd. last Wednesday evening regarding a multiple-instance grand theft. According to a PBSO report, 19-year-old Carlton Morgan was observed swiping his own debit card into the credit card system to credit his personal bank account on 13 different occasions. According to the report, he stole a total of $1,315 from the store. Morgan was arrested for grand theft.

FEB. 28 A deputy from the PBSOs Royal Palm Beach sub-station was called to a home on Meander Circle last Saturday eve-ning regarding a theft. According to a PBSO report, the victim left his ATM card in a friends car the day before and later noticed that $800 had been withdrawn from his account. According to the report,

Man Caught On Video Burglarizing

Home In The Acreagethe friend was going to drop the card off with the victim but hasnt been seen or heard from by the victim since.

MARCH 1 A deputy from the PBSOs Wellington substation was called to the Palm Beach In-ternational Equestrian Center on Sunday regarding the delayed re-port of a stolen vehicle. According to a PBSO report, someone stole an EZGO golf cart that had been rented in January. According to the report, the renter notified the victim on Feb. 26 that the golf cart was missing.

MARCH 1 A deputy from the PBSOs Acreage/Loxahatchee substation was called to the Car-leton Oaks community Sunday morning regarding a case of van-dalism. According to a PBSO re-port, sometime between 8 p.m. last Saturday and 10:30 a.m. Sunday, someone slashed the four tires on the victims Volkswagen GTI and keyed a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, causing approximately $1,800 in damages.

MARCH 1 A deputy from the PBSOs Royal Palm Beach substation was called to a home on Queens Lane on Sunday eve-ning regarding a vehicle burglary. According to a PBSO report, the victim was able to provide video of two young males entering her vehicle and removing a Nuvi GPS system, valued at $350, while she was in her home. Security footage showed two white males entering into a light-colored car and flee-ing the area after checking other nearby vehicle doors. Fingerprint evidence was gathered from the vehicle.

MARCH 2 A deputy from the PBSOs Royal Palm Beach substation was called to a home on Grandview Way last Monday afternoon regarding a residential burglary. According to a PBSO report, the owner and a tenant both left the home earlier in the day and returned to find their rooms ransacked and multiple electronics missing, including a black desktop computer, a 46-inch TV, two Sony PlayStation 2s, a Sony PlayStation 3, a Microsoft Xbox 360, a Mic-rosoft Xbox One, a Nintendo Wii, a Nintendo Wii U, approximately 100 discs for the game systems, an Apple iPad Air and a Samsung Galaxy tablet and an iPod Touch. According to the report, a neigh-bor observed a large gray vehicle parked backward in the driveway earlier in the day.

MARCH 2 A deputy from the PBSOs Wellington substation was called to the Lakeside Shores community Monday afternoon regarding a vehicle burglary. Ac-cording to a PBSO report, some-one entered the victims unlocked 1995 Ford Mustang sometime between 8 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. and removed the victims Internal Rev-enue Service income tax refund check and a book of compact discs. DNA evidence was collected from the vehicle.

MARCH 2 A deputy from the PBSOs Wellington substa-tion was called to a parking lot at the Mall at Wellington Green on Monday afternoon regarding a theft. According to a PBSO report, an unknown white male with dark hair, wearing a white button-down shirt and tan pants, stole the vic-tims locked street racing bicycle, valued at $350, from the mall parking lot.

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Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County is asking for the publics help in finding these wanted fugitives:

Arline King is a black female, 56 tall and weighing 155 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. Her date of birth is 05/06/89. King is wanted on felony charges for failure to redeliver leased equipment and traffic charges for failure to appear for a jury trial for driving with a suspended, canceled or revoked license. Her last known address was Wishing Star Lane in Greenacres. She is wanted as of 02/26/15.

Russell Richardson is a white male, 59 tall and weighing 200 lbs., with black hair, brown eyes and multiple tattoos. His date of birth is 08/18/69. Richardson is wanted for failure to ap-pear in court for felony charges of grand theft. His last known address was Sunset Point Drive in Wellington. He is wanted as of 02/26/15.

Remain anonymous and you may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward. Call Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477) or visit www.crimestopperspbc.com. Russell Richardson

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43


NEWS


The Loxahatchee Groves Town Council on Tuesday approved a survey of unauthorized RV and trailer parks in town and com-mended town management for its enforcement on some properties already found to have been in violation, including one that was allegedly dumping raw sewage.

Town Manager Bill Underwood said he is moving ahead with en-forcement on a C Road property that was found to have about 30 unauthorized RVs on site.

Weve given them all the notices necessary, and weve sent bills to them for garbage removal for roughly, we estimated, 30 campers, and weve done that with a couple of other locations as well, he said.

Likely related to the equestrian season, Underwood said the town is seeing many visitors living in unauthorized dwelling units and recommended targeted enforce-ment against blatant violators similar to the method used in manure-disposal enforcement. He also proposed surveying the town for other violators and reporting any findings to the council.

Councilman Tom Goltzen did not favor going through the town

looking for violators. My thought on this is, rather than spend a lot of money investigating every property, I think its a good idea to have our [uniform land develop-ment code] committee review and discuss what we have right now permitted and what we might want to consider changing, if anything, Goltzen said. Just like the ma-nure problem, this ones probably going to go away in about a month, at least for this year. Rather than spend a lot of code enforcement money and ruffle a lot of feath-ers I would suggest we take a reasonable approach with what were going to do, and next year everybody is going to know what the ground rules are.

However, Goltzen stressed that he did not in any way condone people dumping sewage improp-erly. Its against state law to do that, he said. Theres no place in Florida that you can just dump raw sewage on the ground.

Yet he would prefer to warn people first before enforcement. He added that he was concerned that enforcement could force out people who are not in a good eco-nomic situation.

Councilman Jim Rockett fa-vored a survey to see where the violators are.

In this case, it seems like a complete disrespect to the town, Rockett said. In interest of being fair, we should know where these cases are, especially since if we wait til next year we may have a repeat of the situation. I think the warning should be done now so we can address this.

Rockett added that he was alarmed that in one case raw sew-age was being dumped illegally into a canal.

I dont know why we couldnt close off the access to the canal where raw sewage was being dumped, he said. This is worse than manure hauling. I cant be-lieve anybody would be doing this.

Councilman Ryan Liang thought the council should move ahead with enforcement on proper-ties already cited, and survey other possible violators. He pointed out that the property owner had been cited by the health department last year.

He has already been warned twice, Liang said. The ones we found to be in violation of codes and sanitation, we need to move forward on those so others know they need to follow the proper procedures.

Vice Mayor Ron Jarriel also

favored enforcement at the cited properties. We have two code violations right now that we need to take care of, he said. That shouldnt have anything to do with sweeping Loxahatchee Groves. I kind of agree with Tom. If were going to do a sweep of Loxa-hatchee Groves, lets bring our ULDC committee back on board, and lets strengthen some of our problems that we have with the ULDC, and then do the scan.

Jarriel said one of the property owners was a repeat violator and had been fined. He advocated placing a lien on the property. They owe us $10,323, he said. I would hope they do not escape paying that.

Jarriel made a motion to con-tinue with the code enforcement complaint and put a lien on the property, but Town Attorney Mi-chael Cirullo said a motion was not necessary because it is covered in the code.

Goltzen made a motion to refer it to the ULDC committee agenda, which failed 3-2, with Mayor Dave Browning, Liang and Rockett opposed. Rockett then proposed conducting a survey of properties that have nonconforming RVs, and that motion carried 4-1, with Goltzen opposed.

In other business: The council approved conduct-

ing a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) scan of the town in order to create a map and challenge the revised Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps, which put 65 percent of town land in a flood plain, affecting at least 219 residential units.

Underwood said the LIDAR study involves an airplane fly-ing over the town to produce an accurate topographic map. The deadline to submit a challenge is April 2, he said, explaining that the company would need 15 days to conduct the survey and get it to FEMA. The total cost is not to exceed $120,000.

If residents are unsuccessful and they are in the flood plain, [according to] the estimates that I received, their insurance premi-ums would increase on average somewhere in the neighborhood of $700 per year, which would be roughly $152,000 annually that those 219 residents are going to be contributing to insurance, he said.

Browning pointed out that the maps would probably affect not only the 219 home sites, but a lot of vacant land that could also be in the flood zone.

Im willing to pay for this even

Groves Council Moves Ahead With Enforcement Of Illegal RVsthough my house is out of the flood zone, Browning said. Its a good way of taking care of each other in the town. We all know well that Wellingtons elevations are lower than ours and all of Wellington was taken out. It makes no sense.

Rockett made a motion for staff to pursue a LIDAR study, and notify the 219 property owners, which carried 4-1 with Goltzen opposed.

The council also approved a donation of $5,000 to the Western Communities Council for contin-ued lobbying toward completion of the State Road 7 extension to Northlake Blvd., which has met with strong opposition from West Palm Beach.

Rockett pointed out that the town has not been asked to contrib-ute as much as other donors. The Indian Trail Improvement District, Royal Palm Beach and Wellington each put up $10,000. Liang made a motion to approve the donation, which carried 4-1 with Goltzen opposed.

Underwood reported that the town had submitted a $40,000 deposit to the Central Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce toward the purchase of its building at the northwest corner of Southern

See COUNCIL, page 21

StandishChallenging Ron Jarriel

continued from page 1going to affect the landowners in the community.

Standish favors providing qual-ity services and safe areas to walk and ride throughout the com-munity.

Again, that gets back to in-frastructure, she said. We are putting in roads on one side and forcing horses and pedestrians off the roads. When we had dirt roads, people drove more slowly.

Standish said that she is a better choice than Jarriel because she is concerned for the welfare of all residents, not just a select few. Im not a smooth-talking politi-cian who is just concerned about developers and a select group of people, she said.

She added that someone needs to help the community find financ-ing for projects, which she be-lieves can be done only by getting roads away from the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District.

Theres a battle with the water district trying to control the town, Standish said. Im not afraid to question the water district. I am not afraid to question the town council. For that, Im labeled as not a team member. I believe government should be held accountable and questioned. My concern is that my opponent is only concerned about

pleasing the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District.

As an example, she cites the development of only some ease-ments as equestrian trails.

I believe every maintenance easement along every road should be available to the people along that road to walk and ride their horses, Standish said. We are being directed by the water district. Mr. Jarriel served on the water district board. He seems unable to break that bond.

She said that she is for the town being financially responsible and finding ways to seek outside fund-ing, rather than burden the resi-dents with more taxes. I dont feel thats the concern of a majority of the town council, Standish said.

Standish added that the proper relationship between the town and LGWCD is for the district to remain separate with the town being the dominant entity.

They are two separate enti-ties that have separate responsi-bilities, she said. However, my understanding of municipal gov-ernment tells me that a municipal government is the one that should have ownership of the roads. They have the right to seek funding for the roads.

The districts purpose to main-tain canals and roads has changed since the town incorporated, she said.

With the advent of the town being created, I believe there is a great deal of responsibility that

should be turned over to the town, Standish said. Quite frankly, it has been suggested that the water district should be dependent upon the Town of Loxahatchee Groves. That may be something seriously to consider because we are putting a great deal of money toward the water district.

Asked if there are any services not provided by the town that should be, Standish suggested that the town ask residents if they want water and sewer service before roads are paved. She pointed out that a referendum question on the ballot asks residents if they want paving but does not ask about water utilities.

We havent even begun an evaluation of services to ask the people what they want and need, she said. We could find grants for water and sewage, possibly. If we owned the roads, we could find funding.

Standish also believes that hedg-ing currently done by the LGWCD could be improved upon. The equipment they are using leaves some of the branches in the trees very barbed and pointed, she said.

She would like for Okeechobee Blvd. to remain two lanes with equestrian trails on both sides, equestrian crossings, landscaping and roundabouts, although she acknowledges that it remaining two lanes is unlikely.

Some people refer to it as a rural vista, Standish said. I would like to see more foliage.

We are an agricultural community. Even roundabouts. I dont think we necessarily need a light, but well-placed roundabouts across Okeechobee Blvd. might work.

However, since Okeechobee is a county road and there is devel-opment pressure, she understands that widening the road is probably inevitable.

The county may insist that that be a four-lane road, she said. Thats all well and good. If we put in horse crossings now and put in our equestrian trails, it is my understanding that even as a four-lane, they will have to honor what was there previously. We as a town need to fight for that. Even as a four-lane we can have roundabouts, horse trails and horse crossings with beautifully landscaped roadways.

Standish thinks the town has enough commercial development but that each property owner has the right to request and be consid-ered for commercial development. There are guidelines in place, she said.

She has no problems with Town Manager Bill Underwood. I see no problems with Mr. Under-wood, Standish said. Mr. Under-wood is fair in his representation of information. If something is requested, it is produced. I dont believe Mr. Underwood plays any games.

As for the towns budget, she noted that the town just spent $480,000 for the Central Palm

Beach Chamber of Commerce building, but previously scheduled projects are left undone.

We set aside $80,000 for horse crossings, Standish said. It was discussed, but it was never pushed. It seems that anything that is equestrian-related is cast aside unless its election time.

Standish would like to see financing for more durable roads than OGEM, and for contracts to be bid out. If were going to spend gas tax money putting in roads, I want to see better materials, she said.

She added that if the town built state- or county-grade roads, it could seek financing for them. She believes that other services could be provided with outside financing and without having to spend more money.

The prevailing philosophy of the town has been government lite, but Standish said that the towns relationship with the district does not follow that.

The town has a symbiotic relationship with the district, she said. They are not what you would call government lite. There are pensions involved, there is insurance involved, so we as landowners and taxpayers in Loxahatchee Groves already have an entity that is technically not government lite.

To prepare for the arrival of Minto West, she said the town needs to have an open dialogue. She added that she spoke with

Minto Vice President John Carter about equestrian trails.

The trails are a very big is-sue in our community, she said. The safety of our community is very important, and keeping trails away from traffic. I asked him if our equestrians would be able to continue through their trails, and he said yes. He said he is looking forward to a synergistic relation-ship with Loxahatchee Groves. There are things that we can work on together, but we must be very cautious and we must continue to question our government and any development around us.

Standish has done a lot of work on the towns advisory commit-tees, and she thinks some of the appointments by council members are to move the council members agenda forward and to resist other initiatives they do not favor.

I always take the view that I am there to question, and I am there asking questions for the members of my community, she said. Thats where I have been called uncooperative because I dare to question what is going on, and I expect government to be ac-countable.

Standish said voters should vote for her because she is for a town that is financially responsible and concerned about preserving its rural identity, which provides quality services and safe areas to walk and ride, and is concerned for every resident in the community, not just developers and investors.

RPB Ed BoardCharter

High Schoolcontinued from page 1

panys high schools are accredited and that all of its newly opened schools are automatically ac-credited. The company opened its first charter high school in Miami in cooperation with the Urban League, and has a system of five K through 8 and high schools in Lee County. That is the first seamless charter school system in the state, he said. It has been operating for quite a while.

The company also runs a charter high school in Coral Springs that it operates in partnership with the city. That has a lot of correlation with what you guys are looking at, he said.

Paige said the companys suc-cess is based on its ability to implement a rigorous educational model, and part of its accreditation process is to emulate successful, high-performing schools. He added that Charter Schools USA is implementing academies at some of its schools where graduating seniors will automatically earn an associates degree in the related study.

Principal Jesus Armas spoke on behalf of Royal Palm Beach High School.

He noted that in the last five years, RPBHS has increased its enrollment by 165 students, the percentage of the student body receiving a discipline referral is down from 40 percent to 14 per-cent, and suspensions are down 59 percent.

We have increased the number

of students taking accelerated courses in the last five years by 205 percent, Armas said.

Last year, RPBHS was fourth in the district for academic advance-ment, and it was ranked as the districts highest-performing Title I school, where 40 percent of the students come from low-income families. Were not doing this with smoke and mirrors, Armas said. There are a lot of teachers doing a lot of good work with our students.

In the last five years, the schools grade improved 92 points from a D to a B.

Armas said he has heard a lot of conversations regarding district vs. charter high schools, and the choice question.

When it comes to choice, I think sometimes we forget the choices we have within the school

district, and the choices that Royal Palm Beach High School can offer within the community, he said. We have curricular choices. We have 17 Advanced Placement courses that our students can take.

The school also offers remedial and special-needs courses. We dont cater to any one student, Armas said. We teach the stu-dents that come to us through the entire continuum of special needs through high-level. We differenti-ate and we specialize and personal-ize our instruction.

The school also offers techni-cal education courses, as well as career academies and foreign language electives, which he said some charter schools do not offer. The school also offers a wide array of extracurricular choices.

Our student council has proved itself time and again to be a leader

in the state, Armas said. The schools business clubs have been consistent state winners at compe-titions, and the debate and dance teams qualified nationally. The Academic Games team placed in the top three in the district.

The school also has an award-winning chorus and 25 athletes who signed scholarships in the last three years. The school has 1,250 computers and laptops, as well as medical sciences facilities and equipment, and physical education facilities and equipment.

We sometimes forget our physical education equipment, Armas said. We take for granted our track, our gym, those outside courts, all the things that our cam-pus provides for the community.

The school also provides fine arts facilities and equipment in-cluding kilns for pottery classes

and photography darkrooms, as well as Photoshop software and soundproof rooms for music programs.

Our TV production has top-notch equipment, Armas said. Our auditorium is used constant-ly. Facilities-wise, we really have all that a community would need.

Armas added that the school also has strong district support.

I really see this conversation being about the standing of this school in this community, he said. To me, that is what we are talking about and why we are here. In the last five years, we have talked about our vision for Royal Palm Beach High School to be a beacon for this community, and weve worked hard to reach that. We have seen that every time our community has called, weve an-swered the call.


Wellington Offering Spring Break Camps

The Wellington Parks & Rec-reation department is offering a number of spring break camps and activities to keep kids happy and active.

Athletic camps include an all-day sports camp for children ages 6-13, a basketball camp for chil-dren ages 8-15, a soccer camp for children ages 8-18, and an all new sand volleyball camp for children ages 10-16.

Younger children ages 3-6 can attend tumblekid camp, where they will participate in gymnas-tics, sports, music, arts and crafts and more.

The camps will be held at Vil-lage Park (11700 Pierson Road, Wellington).

At the Wellington Aquatics Complex, children can learn what it takes to become a lifeguard. The junior lifeguard program, of-fered during spring break, teaches children ages 10-14 the basics of lifeguarding, surveillance and assisting at the pool. Participants can even earn volunteer hours.

Registration for this program must be done in person at the Wellington Aquatics Complex (12150 W. For-est Hill Blvd., Wellington).

For more information about spring programs, or to learn how to register, visit the Parks & Rec-reation page at www.wellingtonfl.gov or call (561) 791-4005.

Art Society To Feature McMow

Art GlassThe Wellington Art Society will

meet on Wednesday, March 11 at the gym in Village Park on Pierson Road. The meet and greet will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by a brief meeting, a raffle and a dem-onstration by McMow Art Glass.

McMow Art Glass has been a leader in the stained glass indus-try for more than 35 years. Mc-Mows production team is led by a German-trained master craftsman and includes two in-house glass painters. The company uses only the finest glass to create unique works of original art geared to the vision of each client.

McMow is family owned and operated and works with each

clients concept to create original pieces of art for residences, com-mercial buildings or places of worship, including stained, leaded, carved, etched, mosaic and fused glass projects combining old world techniques with new design con-cepts. McMow also offers classes for aspiring glass artists.

The Wellington Art Society is a nonprofit organization open to artists of all mediums and patrons of the arts, allowing both local and regional artists to display their art work in local galleries, interact with other artists and serve the community through their art.

For more info., visit www.wel-lingtonartsociety.org or www.wel-lingtonartsociety.blogspot.com.

RPBHS Golf Event March 14Royal Palm Beach High School

will host its the sixth annual Wild-cat Classic on Saturday, March 14 at the Madison Green Golf Club (2001 Crestwood Blvd. North, Royal Palm Beach).

The community is invited to participate and/or sponsor the golf tournament. All profits from the event will be directly applied to

the ongoing needs of athletes and academy students.

For more info., call the RPBHS Academies Office at (561) 792-8659 or e-mail [email protected].

Frontier Spring Bazaar March 28

Frontier Elementary School will host its first annual Community Spring Bazaar on Saturday, March 28 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature food trucks, local produce, a rummage sale, arts and crafts, and baked goods. Admis-sion is free. Anyone interested in vendor space for a business or personal rummage sale should call Tina Malsbury at (561) 904-9900.

Eagle Arts Registration

UnderwayEagle Arts Academy is now

accepting applications for the 2015-16 school year for grades K-7. Eagle Arts Academy is a free charter school with a focus on performing and production arts. Visit www.eagleartsacademy.

com to register. Tours are held every Wednesday at 4 p.m. Call the school at (561) 412-4087 to sign up.

Pet Haven Rescue Benefit

Set For March 14Pet Haven Rescue will host Ca-

sino Night... Going to the Dogs on Saturday, March 14 at the Palm Beach Polo Golf & Country Club.

The event will benefit Pet Haven Rescues cage-free animal sanctu-ary. The event is being chaired by Susan Rubin, Linda Zerpolo-Mennen and Joy Cawby.

The evening will include a night of fun with celebrity dogs, celeb-rity guests, silent and live auctions, fabulous food, drinks and dancing. Sunny 107.9s Christie Banks will emcee the event. Tickets are $175 per person and can be purchased through PayPal at www.pethaven rescue.org.

Pet Haven Rescue is a nonprofit organization devoted to saving the lives of unwanted animals in a cage-free home environment. It provides a sanctuary for rescued dogs, horses, pigs, sheep and cats.

Based out of a five-acre facility in Loxahatchee, the cage-free con-cept reduces the stress and cage rage that often occurs in traditional shelter settings, making the ani-mals more adoptable.

For more information, contact Joy Cawby at [email protected] or call (561) 351-2315. Pet Haven Rescue is located at 1128 Royal Palm Beach Boulevard, Suite 131, in Royal Palm Beach.

Fruit Tree Sale On March 28

The Palm Beach Chapter of the Rare Fruit Council International will host its bi-annual Tropical Fruit Tree & Plant Sale on Sat-urday, March 28. The popular event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Agriplex Building at the South Florida Fairgrounds. The sale will offer numerous fruit trees from which to choose, plus herbs, spices and more. Tree and plant fans should enter the South Florida Fairgrounds through Gate 5 on Southern Blvd. Both admis-sion and parking are free. For more information, visit www.pbrarefruitcouncil.org.

NEWS BRIEFS


NEWSIPC POLO BRUNCH EVENT RAISES MONEY FOR THE KIDS CANCER FOUNDATION

(Front row) Michelle OBoyle, Piper Apfel and Sandy Erb; (back row) Toy Wash, Kelly Wiener, Ainsley Erb and Amanda Apfel. Tom, Christina, Ella and Tommy Shelton.

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY HOSTS BARK FOR LIFE AT OKEEHEELEE PARKThe American Cancer Society presented its second annual Bark For Life event on Saturday, Feb. 28 at Okeeheelee Park. There was a bounce house, a kid activity area, a dog lure course, dog contests, food trucks and vendors. The first 200 guests that donated $10 received a Bark For Life bandanna and a goody bag. If they added $10 more, they received an event t-shirt.

Diana Parra with Amanada, Juanita and Ben Shenkman.Kelly Wiener, Sandy Erb, Michelle OBoyle, Jennifer List,

Wellington Councilwoman Anne Gerwig and Frank Dowling.

Pet contest winners Julie Levin with biggest dog Rebel,Brygita Trzask with best dressed and smallest

dog Ocita, and Ron Fifield with Winnie.

Big Dog Ranch volunteerIrene Wachtel took a cancer

survivor lap with Chocco.

John and Toy Wash, Sandy Erb, and Lauren and Jay Henley.

The Big Hero Sunday Brunch & Polo Match benefiting the Kids Cancer Foundation was held Sunday, March 1 at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. There was a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. After a sumptuous buffet, guests watched the C.V. Whitney Cup final match. For more information about the Kids Cancer Foundation, visit www.kidscancersf.org or call Michelle OBoyle at (561) 371-1298.



Event committee members Candice Webb, Bill Lerner,Holly Cosentino, Lisa Hafer and Marisa Pence.

Stephanie Perkauswith Desmond.

(Front row) Eduardo, Jeilany and Abigail Mayorga with MichelleOBoyle; (back row) Sandy Erb with Diana and Eduardo Mayorga.

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Town-Crier Newspaper March 6, 2015

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